gen ‧ e ‧ rate S3 W2 AC /ˈdʒenəreɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ generate ; noun : ↑ generator ; adverb : generatively; adjective : ↑ generative ]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of generare 'to produce children' , from genus ; ⇨ ↑ genus ]
1 . to produce or cause something SYN create :
a useful technique for generating new ideas
The program would generate a lot of new jobs.
generate revenue/profits/income etc
Tourism generates income for local communities.
generate excitement/interest/support etc
The project generated enormous interest.
2 . to produce heat, electricity, or another form of energy:
Wind turbines generate electricity for the local community.
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THESAURUS
▪ make used about things you make yourself, or things that are made in a factory:
Diane makes all her own clothes.
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My camera was made in China.
▪ produce to make something in large quantities to be sold, or to make something as the result of a natural process:
The factory produces high-quality steel.
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Japan produces some of the most advanced mobile phones.
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The pancreas is a gland in your body which produces hormones.
▪ create to make something new and original:
Tarantino created a whole new style of films.
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Many companies invest a lot of money in creating new products.
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Potter was famous for creating characters such as ‘Peter Rabbit’.
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This technique is used to create images of beautiful forests.
▪ manufacture to make machines, cars, equipment etc in factories:
The company manufactures aircraft parts.
▪ mass-produce to make very large quantities of something in a factory:
They developed a way to mass-produce the drug.
▪ develop to design and make something new over a period of time:
In 1962, Enders developed an effective vaccine against measles.
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The company is developing new anti-virus software.
▪ form to make something as the result of a natural process or chemical reaction:
Hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water.
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The research will help us understand how planets are formed.
▪ generate to make something such as heat, electricity, or power:
Wind can be used to generate electricity.